Funeral for Martyred Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Scheduled for February 23

Beirut – The funeral for Hezbollah’s martyred leader, Hassan Nasrallah, will be held on February 23, 2025, as confirmed by the group’s current chief, Naim Qassem, during a televised address on Sunday. Nasrallah, a key figure in the rise of Hezbollah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024, which marked a significant escalation in the conflict between the Iran-backed group and Israel.

Nasrallah was killed in a devastating attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold for Hezbollah. The delay in organizing the funeral, according to Qassem, was due to security concerns during the intense months of fighting, which lasted until the war’s official conclusion on November 27, 2024.

“After security conditions prevented holding a funeral during the two months of all-out war, we have now decided to hold a grand public funeral on February 23,” Qassem said. The event is expected to be a large procession, reflecting Nasrallah’s important role in the group.

Alongside Nasrallah’s funeral, Hezbollah will also hold a funeral for his successor, Hashem Safieddine, who was selected to lead the group before he was killed in an Israeli raid on October 3, 2024. Safieddine, a deeply religious cleric with close ties to Nasrallah, was set to continue the group’s leadership until his own martyrdom. His funeral will take place in his hometown of Deir Qanun in southern Lebanon.

Nasrallah will be buried on the outskirts of Beirut, between the old and new airport roads, while Safieddine will be laid to rest in Deir Qanun. Initially, Nasrallah was buried in a secret location for fear that Israel would target his funeral procession.

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The funeral takes place against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Despite a ceasefire agreement signed on November 27, 2024, Israel has yet to meet its January 26 deadline for withdrawing from southern Lebanon and has launched additional strikes in the region. Israel has until February 18, 2025, to complete its withdrawal, though it has shown no signs of complying with the terms of the agreement, citing Lebanon’s failure to meet its obligations.

Qassem reiterated Hezbollah’s demand for the Lebanese government to take action against Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. “The Lebanese state is fully responsible for following up, pressuring, and preventing as much as it can through international pressure and sponsorship of this violation and Israeli aggression,” he emphasized.

The November ceasefire stipulated that Hezbollah would pull its forces back north of the Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army was tasked with ensuring stability in the region.